1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data imprinting device for a camera capable, upon need of imprinting a message serving as a caption (for example, a short comment phrase such as "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", etc.) on film.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide the camera, particularly a so-called "high-priced" a camera, with a device for imprinting a desired message in the photographed frame of film by operating a key board or like input means so that the letters of the message are read character by character from a data bank. With this device in use, if the user properly uses the key board at the time of shooting, it becomes possible that when the photograph is later printed, a compensating image the mood and feeling of a scene is provided in the form of a message sentence, or that a photograph of high value is obtained. It is to be noted that based on a similar concept to this, a variety of imprinting devices which make it possible to imprint so-called "date" information on the film also been proposed.
An alphanumeric imprinting device as described above, due to its ability to imprint letters input from the key board, provides wide versatility without limiting the text of a comment, etc. to be imprinted. However, on the other hand, the user's freedom of taking shots is hampered because manual inputting of the comment, etc., is a very troublesome and time consuming operation. Hence, a problem arises in that the frequency of use of the alphanumeric printing by the user is low.
As has also been described above, system which imprints date information is widely used in recently developed cameras. With this system and particularly one having the capability of automatically counting the date (or the date renewal capability), although from the use of frequency viewpoint, there is merit in that the troublesome operation is obviated, the use of date information alone in the photograph leads to a large difference of its value from the mood and feeling information such as the message.